The present invention concerns a compressor installation with a drying device for compressed gas, with the compressor installation having a compressor element with an outlet for compressed gas to which a first end of a pressure line is connected; whereby said drying device has a housing with inside it a drying zone with a first inlet for compressed gas to be dried, to which a second end of said pressure line is connected in such a way that the full flow rate of compressed gas originating from said compressor element is transported to the drying zone; and whereby said drying zone further comprises a first outlet for dried, compressed gas to which a discharge line is connected; whereby in said housing a regeneration zone is also provided with a second inlet for the supply of a regeneration gas, and a second outlet for the discharge of used regeneration gas; whereby in the housing of the drying device a drum is fitted rotatably containing a drying agent, with the drum connected to drive means in such a way that the drying agent can be successively moved through said drying zone and the regeneration zone; and whereby said pressure line includes a heat-exchanger for cooling the compressed gas before it enters said drying zone.
A disadvantage of known compressor installations provided with a drying device is that a considerable cooling capacity is required to make the temperature of the gas to dry low enough to obtain efficient drying in the drum.
Dryers for compressed gas with a rotatable desiccant drum containing drying agent are already known and are for example described in WO 01/87463, WO 02/38251, WO 2007/079553, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,603 and the U.S. Pat. No. 8,349,054.